Dawn
by unliving
Summary: Starts at the end of the anime. What does Integra choose? Can she hold on to herself, even as a vampire? My very first fic, please be kind! AlucardxIntegra
1. Chapter 1

AN; My very first fic so please be kind... Reviews are greatly appreciated. Computers and websites are so confusing...

Integra sat on the hard bench of her prison, drawing in yet another breath of tobacco smoke. The cigars had been one of the few indulgences she had allowed herself during her last decade as the head of the Helsing Organization. At first it had started as a distraction, tinged with wistfulness as she recalled her father and the days of peace and innocence he had come to represent. Now? It was one of the few constants in her life, aside from Walter and Alucard.

Alucard. From the moment her infuriating, unpredictable, tantilizing vampire had knelt in front of her and declared her his Master, Integra had known that the No-Life King would be quite the handful. She wasn't disappointed; he was her hidden weapon that could cut her and her enemies alike, a loyal pet who could claw innocents behind her back, and the one thing guaranteed to get her hackles up. While Walter was the steady rock, Alucard was the one who spurned her on, driving her onwards with ruthless verbal jabs and mocking obedience. A familiar tingling told her of the said vampire's entry.

_Perservere_, the Queen had said, _Judas will be caught_. But Integra was no longer the girl she had been when she met the woman she had been taught all her life to live for, die for. She knew that the Queen had not lied. The betrayer will be caught someday, and neither had Her Majesty forgotten Helsing's loyal servitude over the years. Be it a day or a thousand, the truth would be unveiled and justice served.

But Integra Wingates Helsing would not live to see it. Helsing would crumble without her iron rule and protection, its mandate to rid the earth of evil fading away. Becoming just another obedient government branch. The Queen could not- would not- let the wellbeing of a single subject, however loyal, sway her when the country would be in an upheaval over the existence of the Midian. Such things were meant to be hidden, and it had been her duty to ensure that. It did not matter that Integra had been subjected to contempt and prejuidice, merely because she was female and so very young. It did not matter that the Round Table had been corrupt , fearful and envious of Helsing's power, and that she was taking the fall. Integra had failed in her duty to remain a silent specter, and now she had to be replaced. A process that had already begun when the handcuffs had snapped shut around her wrists. Nobody was irreplacible, after all. _A neccessary sacrifice, for the good of my_ _country_, she told herself, swallowing the bitter rage and betrayal that threatened to break out as a scream. There were guards outside the heavy door of her cage, and while she couldn't care less about them, Alucard was a different story.

He approached her, movements sure and almost carefree in their grace. Integra took in the solid form of her servant, conscious of the burning claret irises boring into her, all the while thinking of the offer he had made. An offer that should sound repulsive. To become what she hunted, what she had always hated. An offer that promised her an eternity of freedom. An eternity with _him_, the vampire who had intrigued her from the moment she heard him speak. Where both her and the creature who had bled for her countless times would be able to pursue what they wanted. She would no longer have to deny herself anymore, or mantain her Iron Maiden persona for others around her. She could be free.

"Integra... Your orders, my Master..." the voice of her vampire sounded, the usual mocking tone masking equal measures of wariness and hope. "The choice is yours..."  
She watched the glass being crushed in his white-gloved grip, the lukewarm wine mixing with his blood to flow crimson. The colour of blood, the bane of her life. The colour of his eyes, enticing and seemingly looking straight into her soul.

_You are the leader of Helsing. This is evil, what you were born to exterminate_. But was it so? Integra had seen Alucard tear through men and slaughter his own kind without a shred of remorse. Seen what the FREAKS did to innocent children and parents who sought only to protect them. But in the end of the day, those creatures were no better and no worse than the thousands of human monsters who did the same. And the No-Life King was a different matter altogether. She had seen facets of his humanity in his actions, the soul she was taught he did not have behind those crimson orbs. Orbs that never failed to call to the dark side of her. She took another fortifying nicotine-laced breath, attempting to get her roiling thoughts in order.

Alucard looked into the ice-blue eyes of his Master. Day after day she had languished in this tiny cell, in the righfully-named Bloody Tower entombing hundreds of souls. He knew the passiveness did not bode well with Integra, not with his iron maiden. He knew she longed for freedom, for power, to protect Helsing. A faint hope began to pulse in his unbeating heart. He would finally have his own freedom as well, if only Integra would accept his offer of immortality. The idea of the destruction of the Helsing line brought forth a myraid of emotions to the No-Life King. Integra had worthy preceeders, worthy opponents who had fought valiantly, never running from their duty. Each of them he remembered and respected, although he had hated them at the same time for binding and breaking him. For restoring his faith in humanity for brief moments, and letting him down when they buckled under pressure or succumbed to the icy embrace of death. For never being his equal.

But Integra was different. And it was that fact that compelled him to stand before her again. From the moment Alucard had tasted her sweet blood, he had been fascinated. She had the potential to be a full-fledged No-Life Queen, ruthless and strong enough to face the darkness of the world and herself, and yet retaining that stubborn edge of humanity that allowed her to mourn fallen soldiers and have compassion for the families left behind. She had passion and a sense of honour, stemming from deep within her rather than her noble upbringing. He loved these things about her, but right now they poised a problem. Would she stick to the path that had been drilled into her, dying like a obedient dog when her Queen ordered it? The very thought repulsed him.

"Even if I am willing to give up my humanity, become a creature under your control, what of you?" Integra's voice broke him through his thoughts. "What of the consequences of your freedom, Vlad the Impaler? I would no longer be able to control you. Why should I unleash you to the country I swore to defend?" His grinning mask became genuine. _There_ was the fire he adored, the reason he could not let her go. She brought his otherwise empty world to life. "Master, you wound me with your assumption. Why would I harm the good citizens of England?" he watched with delight the familiar narrowing of her eyes which signaled the beginning of a verbal clash. "Why indeed. Your exploits in your human and vampire days are legendary. Genocide, inventing impaling as a method of excution... Not to mention the records Helsing has of your battles," Integra paused,"Come to think of it, _battles_ are not the word. Battles are when both parties have a chance of winning, however slim. Your opponents have no such thing."

Alucard sat down at the opposite wall, pulling a leg up to prop his chin on his knee. He gave her a wide-eyed, innocent look he knew drove her half mad with fury. "But you and your preceeders were the ones who gave me the orders. Although I will gladly shoot your enemies, the will behind the trigger is solely your own."  
"So you claim to be... What? The fact remains, Alucard, that you openly relish what I can only describe as slaughter. Combined with the bestial behaviour of your kind I have learned and seen, it only serves to cement the belief that vampires are merely souless abominations in the eyes of God."  
"You said _the_ belief, Master, not yours. Then what is yours? Tell me what you think, not what you were taught. Am I, and Seras Victoria by extension, souless? And what of the No-Life Kings and Queens you have never seen or heard of? They live in shadows, but you never saw them because you _never had reason to_. The ones you saw during your lifetime were the scum of the undead, the very worst and lowest of my kind. You are judging us all by them."

The words of her vampire servant struck Integra momentarily speechless, plain and sharp as they were. They were the very essence of her conflict and more, rattling the already-brittle foundation of her world.  
"It will be running away if I join you," Integra admitted softly, a rare moment of vulnerablity showing underneath her composure. Alucard counted himself lucky to be among the few- just two, actually- who could witness it. "I... I do not want to die, not to appease the crowd and not helpless like this."

She could never be helpless, Alucard thought, but Integra wasn't finished.

"Becoming a vampire... I would disappoint my father. Become a disgrace to the Helsing name, which should fade away with honour, not shame. Her Majesty may not have the power nor the inclination to save me, but I cannot abandon my duty and pride for my sake alone."  
"You know you will not leave this place alive, Master." her vampire said quietly. Integra nodded. She had never felt so cornered as she had sat in her cell, forcing her wandering mind to do _anything_ but think about the future. Before, the objective had been simple; Search and Destroy. Eliminate the problem and protect the Queen and country with everything you have. Now, after listening to Alucard and stripping away everything but the barest facts, she was faced with a ridiculously simple choice. Die as a human and leave her burden behind, or become undead and face that burden. _I'll never give up! I'll die before I give up! That is my duty and pride as the leader of_ _the Helsing Organization!_ The words of her younger self echoed in her mind. She turned to her vampire servant...

And the door burst open.

"Integra Helsing, by the order of Her Majesty the Queen and the Parliment Court, you are to be excuted come tomorrow." the speaker was the same portly man in a suit that had delivered the Queen's message before. Was it her imagination, or was there sympathy in his gaze? "Her Majesty convies her thanks for your service, Sir Integra, and knows that you had done your maximum best for the country." he turned and left. A bitter smile graced Integra's lips. Well, that confirmed it... The leadership of Helsing would never be hers again. Her old life was well and truly lost to her.

The odd thing about time is that it flows the exact opposite way one wants it to. It had been decades Alucard had last concerned himself with it, but Integra caused exceptions without even realizing it. The time of the excution was drawing closer and closer- much, much to fast for his tastes- and his Master had not said a word. He had nearly convinced himself to try to hypnotize her before she threw her life away when she spoke. "I'm still not convinced of your morals, vampire,"her cool voice masked a world of pain. "But to give up now, to embrace death and leave my people behind for the sake of entering Heaven... Now that is a greater evil. Free yourself, Alucard... But give me your word you will not control me as you did Seras."  
"Gladly," the No-Life King whispered, and before his soon-to-be fledgling could see the joy in his eyes, darted for her throat.

It wasn't like any other near-death experiences and situations Integra had gone through. It was different in the sense that of course this time, she would actually die. There was that twin flares of white-hot pain when his fangs sank into the soft skin of her throat, then a sense of lethagy as she felt Alucard draw on her lifeblood, lapping up every drop. Integra closed her eyes as a strange mixture of peace and pure terror stole over her. Slowly, she could feel something other at the edge of her mind. A presence that was alien and forboding, yet familiar. Alucard. She knew that from then on she'll always have that sense of him, her sire, even when Alucard held true to his word and broke the blood-bond. She knew him, not the kind of knowledge gained from observations and such, but one that came from thoughts and spirit mingling together. Vaguely, Integra felt his cool lips leaving her skin and automatically reached out, seeking the one stable presence in the whirling, suddenly fluid world. "Alucard..." she whispered. "I'm right here, Master," she could hear the smile in his voice, even if she couldn't see him.

Despite the situation, she felt a brief stab of annoyance at herself, clinging to someone-even Alucard- like a newborn babe to its mother. The dark-safety-world presence in her mind brushed reassuringly against her. So like you, a true daughter of Helsing. But this is your new birth, is it not, Integra? Alucard whispered. A sweet, heady taste was on her tongue, warming her cooling body in ways she had not thought possible. His blood, sealing her transformation. Twisting her head, she bit down blindly on his cool throat with teeth sharpening from the first hints of fangs. To her surprise, he let her, cradling her against his body. _Sleep now_, he sent. _I will keep_ _you safe_. She believed him; who could have not after seeing each other's souls?


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I got 2 reviews! Yay! Hope you like this one.

Alucard lifted his ex-master up bridal style, head still spinning with the taste of Integra's blood. He had tasted it only once before, in the basement when she had freed him. If the sweet, virginal Helsing blood had appealed to him then, it had tasted like ecstasy itself now, tempered by a wealth of experiences and surrounded as he was by her mind. It was slightly disheartening to think he would never have that taste again, but Intrgra's continued existence was worth it. He just hoped that she would not be skittish or in denial about her new existence like the Police Girl had been.

He phrased straight out of the Tower, pausing only to scan for any spying eyes or cameras. In an impulse, Alucard decided to go to the Helsing manor; the basement, to be precise. What other fitting place for the start of her new life than the birthplace of her old one? Besides, he couldn't wait to see Walter's and Seras's reactions to the news. He chuckled to himself in anticipation.

Seras POV( just to avoid confusion)

"Master?..." Alucard's still-young childe gaped at the sight in front of her."What's going on?" She had rushed to the basement as soon as she had heard her Master's whispered command to come, slightly alarmed from the mixture of excitement, glee, and the barest tinge of unease in his tone. Normally, when Master was happy, it meant that someone else (usually a vampire and/or Sir Integra) was about to be extremely unhappy. She certainly had not expected to see the said knight, who was supposed to be inprisoned in God-knows-where, lying in Alucard's coffin looking aspale as death.

"Close your mouth, Police Girl, before the spiders decide to set up shop. It's not a becoming look on a draculina- or anyone for that matter. And as for your inquiry, see for yourself." Snapping her jaws closed, Seras crept forward. Integra _was _very pale, and what her senses told her- or what they _didn't_ tell her- made her feel horrified and amazed at the same time. "Is she..."

"One of us now? Yes. It would take a few hours for her to wake up, so I suggest you get Walter here." Seras scurried off, mind still a blank. She would have bet her buttons that Sir Integra would never want to be a vampire. Unless Alucard had forced her... No, he respected Integra too much for that. Others around them may not have very high opinion of the No-Life King's sense of respect, but Seras knew better. Alucard definitely had respect for others... It was just that the said sentiment had to earned. And that it was very, very hard to do so.

Well, Sir Integra had certainly earned it. When Seras had first met her, she had instantly thought of a regal queen from the woman's commanding presence and the way her subordinates held her in awe and no little fear. She _was _a bit jealous that Sir Integra was the only one her Master took seriously, but she got over that soon enough. The Iron Maiden and Alucard were now like parent figures to her, albeit ones who could terrify or discomfit her out of her skin with practiced ease.

"Mr. Walter! Master's back with Sir Integra-" at this point, Seras had frozen up with dozens of deadly wires forming a cocoon around her. "Oh, sorry, Miss Seras. I didn't realize it was you..." the Angel of Death apologized, withdrawing his seemingly-harmless weapons. Then, the implications of what the draculina had said sank in. "..._What?"_"I know, that was pretty much my response, too. He didn't tell me much yet either, so let's go and attempt to get some explainations out of him. Sir Integra isn't supposed to wake up for a few hours."

Back in the basement...

Alucard looked like he wanted to double over in laughter, despite the wires drawing blood here and there. "My, and here I thought time had instilled some sense into you. Shouldn't you ask what happened first?" Walter looked even more incensed."Sense? I served Integra since she was an infant; and I know for a fact that she'll never want to become one of you!"

(Back to Alucard POV)

"Not even for us? For Helsing? For herself?" Alucard was half annoyed and half reluctantly impressed by the former soldier's thickheaded faith in his employer. "Integra _chose _this, Walter. Now, we all know her mile-wide stubborn streak, but if you two are going to behave like spooked deer in need of a thrashing around her, it's going to take a toll. So answer me; should I haul her to a middle of nowhere and keep her there, or would you rather help her through?" He waited for their response. His fledging, as expected, was the first to respond. She didn't bother with words, just plopped down next to the coffin and gazed tentatively at Integra's face. She looked understandably out of her depth, never having seen her commanding officer looking even close to peaceful before. Walter took a few minutes to speak again. "If this is her choice... I want her to be happy. She gave her life to others, she deserves that much."

Satisfied with the response, the No-Life King settled down next to his childe. He rather liked the idea of having Seras there for Integra to talk to. Heaven knew when she'll trust him enough for that; she already thought his only motivations for changing her were revenge for Abraham Helsing and freedom for carnage. While he enjoyed imagining the old wanker turning in his grave... Silly girl, didn't she know the blood was nothing more or less than a diversion, a respite from the sheer crushing weariness of immortality without purpose?

And that painful hope burned in his unbeating heart as he waited for his newest creation to rise. Maybe, just maybe, this would bring the purpose he had longed for all these years.

(Integra POV)

Waking up as a vampire is not an experience you can prepare yourself for. In truth, Integra had only imagined Alucard's bite, worried about his blood mixing with hers and possibly tainting her judgement, but did not imagine how awakening as a Midian would _feel._

Death had not felt like falling asleep, exactly. It was a fading of senses; first sight, next the sense of her body disappearing, then sound. Falling away from the world until she realized that her world was built solely on what her senses told her. Then...Nothing.

Waking up was much more intense. "You said 'a few hours', Master." a sound, strangely loud after the silence. Seras Victoria. "I did. She should be able to hear us right now." a deeper male voice. _His _voice, her sire. _But not your master, _she reminded herself, _never that. You will never be a mindless follower again, no matter what it is. _A fainter, more rhythmic sound- no, two. One of them were footsteps, and the other...Moist and soft but more vital. A heartbeat, she realized. This was going to save her a world of pain during interrogation. She would be able to tell when a person lied by his haertbeat. "Alucard, Miss Seras. How is she?" Walter. Her mind was clearing rapidly. She could feel every limb and bone and muscle in her body, aware of it like she never had before. A dull pain in her throat. Scents of dust and old wood, and other, more complex ones. A pair stronger than others, one rich and smoky, the other lighter and somehow sharp. Alucard and Seras. Walter, mildly medicinal. And a coppery scent that made her throat prickle with a vengeance. "If you want a firsthand report, wait a few seconds. She's coming around now."

Her brow twitched at that. "You're making me sound like a swooning maiden, Alucard." Integra said, eyes still closed. She winced when there was an earsplitting-well, earsplitting to her new hearing- crash near the sound of Walter's heartbeat. "Sir Integra!" "No need to sound so panicked."

Bracing herself, Integra opened her eyes. Thankfully the room wasn't overly bright, so she could see without any difficulty. The first thing to come into view was Alucard's crimson eyes watching her. A corner of her lips tugged into a smile at the expertly disguised concern there. "Well then, say something to set Walter at ease. On the scale of one to ten, any pain? If there is, increasing or decreasing?" "Two. In my throat and increasing. I assume this is the famed vampiric thirst?" She sat up, marveling at how distinct her vision was, even without her glasses. Alucard chuckled, and Seras piped up, "I'm by no means the expert, but she sounds... Herself. That's good, right?" "I would say so," Walter replied, relief evident on his face.

Meanwhile, Integra was busy taking in her surroundings. She was in a blue, knee-length cotton dress rather than her green suit, lying in Alucard's coffin in the basement. Rather apt, considering she had started her life as Sir Helsing right here. _I wonder whose bright idea it was to put me in a dress? And just whose dress is it?_

"All of us, in a way." Seras answered promptly. "Walter suggested we put you in a more comfortable attire, I changed you into one of my nightgowns, and Master didn't object. I didn't think you'll care overmuch, but..." her voice trailed off when she saw Alucard and Walter's confused faces. "What? She asked me..."

Integra was even more confused than the three of them. Had she said it aloud? Definitely not. Turning slowly, she directed her thoughts to Alucard. _Can you hear me? _His feral grin was all the response she needed. _This could be convienient. _She 'told' Walter.

"You're picking up telepathy even faster than I did." Alucard told her, a kind of sardonic pride in his voice. _At this rate... We'll see, won't we? _And despite herself, Integra smiled at her ex-servant. Projecting to all three of them this time, she told them, _We can experiment with this later... But first, I'm going to see the Queen. I- no,we- got business to settle with her._

(The Queen's POV)

Elizabeth stapled her fingers in front of her, frowning. A discreet message of Integra's disappearance had reached her just now. Fortunately, the guards stationed at the tower had not known just who the prisoner was, just that she was to be treated well but guarded carefully. The Queen could not decide how she felt about the knight's escape; if she had indeed escaped and not abducted or killed. If it was an escape... The Helsing family was known for their tenacity and being ruthless in battle, traits that had served the crown well for decades. It had took her much deliberation to order her death, the woman who had served her with single-minded loyalty so rare nowadays. She wished she could have spirited Integra away, gave her another identity so she could continue her work for the crown, but the commander of the Helsing Organization had to be infallible, at least on the outside. It stung her that Integra had suffered just because she was female and without a family to support her. The woman had fought her way into the Round Table and secured her position with much struggle on her part, but the hawkish nobles with their greed and insecurity had torn it away in a heartbeat. Ignoring the stab of shame the thought invoked, she considered the scenario where Integra had turned against the crown. A woman of her caliber, who was the last of the Helsings to boot, could do a lot of damage.

Elizabeth soon gave up on analyzing the little information she did have. There were too many pieces of the puzzle that were missing, such as whether Integra had left her prison willingly, where her loyalties lay and if the Nosferatu Alucard, who obeyed no one but the Helsing who won his respect, was with her. These were the times she dearly wished to be just the national icon her people thought her as.

"Your Majesty," a voice, feminine but cool and dark like the night wind, addressed her from the left corner. Elizabeth whirled around with a speed surprising for her age, and came face-to-face with the former commander herself. What shocked her even more than the knight's presence was her bloodred eyes.

"Integra," her voice came out a whisper. She settled shakily into the nearest chair. She wanted to demand where she had been, but settled for, "Does anyone know you're here?" That brought a full-fledged smile on the woman's- no, vampiress- face. That was another surprise in itself, Integra was usually reserved to the point of emotionless."Nobody that I do not trust. I take that you can guess my condition?" "Indeed."

Truth be told, her first impulse had been to send for her guards. But Elizabeth wasn't stupid. Integra would not have come here to get herself killed, not with the lengths she had gone to escape. She might turn on her, true, but something in her eyes told her that the creature in front of her was still Integra, still a woman instead of a bloodthirsty beast most vampires were. And as her Queen, it was her duty to hear her out.

"Your purpose, Sir Helsing? You would not come to visit someone who may or may not have betrayed you if you did not have one."

"Pardon me. I know full well that you did what you thought was best for our country. I cannot begrudge you that, and my personal feelings matter little in that regard." the Iron Maiden's eyes, formerly the colour of glacial seas, had not lost any of their old, ice-cold energy.

"However, I have a few words as well as questions for you. What of the Order without a Helsing to lead it?"

She noticed that Integra had not said 'Helsing Organization'. "They will be an elite part of M-15, specializing in the supernatural threats." Elizabeth rubbed her left temple. "You cannot lead Helsing anymore, my child... Surely you know that? Even if the Round Table, the Parliment, finally see some sense and let your failure go, they will not allow a vampire to lead our only defense from your own kind. _I _cannot allow that."

The blond vampiress scowled at the mention of the Round Table. "No, but I can protect and prepare it. Pick a leader- preferably one not a bigot- and I, along with Seras and Alucard if they wish, will whip him into shape. He won't be telling anyone of us if he knows what's good for him, and while I am by no means as strong as Alucard, he has agreed to teach and guide me for as long as I need. It will take some time, but eventually I will be capable of handling the more troublesome outbreaks." It was an attractive offer, Elizabeth had to admit, and as practical as she had come to expect of Integra. But Alucard was far too dangerous a factor to be taken lightly, especially when no longer bound to Helsing. "Alucard?"

"He can be... I don't know the right words." How well she knew that feeling."But he genuinely enjoys hunting down rogues, and old enough that humans no longer interest him except as a source of fresh blood. Not that he can take anything seriously, being who he is." there was something in her voice that made Elizabeth take notice. A tinge of wistfulness, perhaps? "I'll make a list of people for you to go through. Do you ...have anything else you want to tell me?"

Integra smiled, and the Queen of England fought down a shiver down her spine. Past the habitual courtesy towards her, Elizabeth could sense a change in the former knight. She seemed much more open and _free_. Free to be herself, free to love and hate as she wished... Free to lash out. And she would not hesitate to do so, she could tell.

"We shall see, won't we?"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer; I do not own Helsing.

AN; All right, can you people give me some ideas on who Helsing's new leader would be? Please?

Integra, crouched on the tin roof of a shabby house, was eeriely still as her eyes scanned the dank street beneath her. This was her first hunt, the first time she would taste fresh blood straight from a human. She couldn't deny that the thought still repulsed her to an extent, but there was little point drinking bagged blood, a poorer substitute for fresh blood, and keeping herself weaker than she ought to be. Donated blood was all well and good, with the bonus of knowing nobody had been harmed or tramutised to get it, but there was the little drawback that it was in short supply. If she had it, there was a very good chance that some human in an emergency room didn't. Also, she did not want to risk killing some innocent human someday simply because she didn't know what she was doing.

She _felt _Alucard appear next to her rather than seeing it. The telepathy, a skill her sire had said must be her speciality, apparently extended much further than projecting thoughts and images. Apart from the mind-speech that had come so quickly after the transformation two weeks ago, Integra had discovered what was akin to a sixth sense. She could reach out to others with her mind, tell one individual from another with a brush, learning to regconize the 'taste' unique in each. Moreover, she could feel the sparks that were people around her, always vaguely aware of who and where they were. Like now, she was no longer caught by surprise when Alucard appeared out of thin air.

Rather than speaking or turning her eyes from the street, she greeted him by stretching out a hand to cover his. Such borderline intimate gestures would have horrified her weeks ago, but now it felt almost natural. Alucard touched her much more easily and frequently since her change, and in exchange, Integra found herself not snarling at or pulling away from him. She knew that it was in part because of the blood-bond they shared- Alucard had insisted on keeping it until he was sure she could survive on her own- but it just seemed silly to be always on defensive around him with their new relationship as equals. Instead of keeping the No-Life King on a leash like a bad-tempered dog that might bite others, and constantly working to mantain the upper hand, she reveled in the very unpredictabilty that seemed so dangerous to her. She would not let anyone compromise her morals, but she didn't push him away to avoid conflict or bluntly request that he stop distracting her with his bizzare behaviour. Slowly, Integra came to enjoy those quirks as what they were; quirks. She looked at the rhythm and reason behind them, the way his mind worked. Although the loss of control over him did unsettle her, she was determined to set her pride down and accept the change. Who knew turning into a vampire would actually improve her outlook on life?

_Here comes the hapless victim, _her vampire said with his trademark Cheshire-cat grin, spying the lone man trotting down the street, emitting a sense of unease. _Let's see how you perform, shall we? _Integra smirked and silently jumped down to the ground, landind directly in front of him. She did not waste time but struck before the human could scream, long, delicate fingers clamping down on his shoulders like steel vices and pearl-white fangs sinking into his throat.

Integra nearly groaned in pleasure when the first drop of the crimson blood touched her tongue, warm and metallic and sweeter than anything she had tasted to her new palate. The fresh blood was so different from the bagged blood she had been drinking, thrumming with energy. It was not a taste as much as a feeling, the human's life, his very essence, flooding into her. She eagerly lapped up the electrifying liquid her fangs drew from him, mouth latching onto the twin wounds.

The feel of her prey's mind came suddenly, almost explosive. There wasn't much thoughts going on in his mind right now, enveloped in the europhia induced by her bite. Integra, curious even in midst of the heavenly taste, imagined her thoughts forming tendrils that poked into the his memories. They swirled around her, hitting her crystal-sharp and distinct.

_A young woman, a girl, really, with frizzy brown hair and light cornflower blue eyes._

_Her enchanting smile, distracting him from her place at the back of his classroom._

_Panic-filled blue eyes, mouth forming silent whimpers and frantic pleas, falling on deaf ears as his calloused hands pressed her down onto the table. _

_Tears trickling from her eyes as she lay there, much the same way blood trickled down her thighs._

Confusion then a white-hot wave of pure fury washed over Integra, hands clenching down on the human scum's shoulders until he cried out in pain. This...man... had raped a girl. Stole her innocence and broke her, a girl who had trusted him. Ruined her life, all for his own twisted pleasure. Red engulfed her vision and her hands clamped with controlled, deliberate slowness down on his shoulder, bone crushing and skin breaking under her fingers.

Alucard lounged comfortably on his perch, watching Integra as she fed from the lowlife she had snagged. The human had been terrified at first at the sight of a fanged woman with glowing claret eyes, but now he was docile underneath her grip, eyes glazed over with pleasure. However, when she started slowly but surely mangling his shoulders, he felt a stab of alarm. Alucard probed a thought-tendril at his fledging, honestly concerned. She had been adjusting well to undead life so far, splitting her time between arranging papers and accounts of her 'death' with Walter, discussing Helsing's new leader with the Queen, and exploring her new existence with relish. Even if she didn't have regrets for her lost humanity, this was unlike her; she was never the one for torture. Even when she had given him captives to 'interrogate', she had always thought of it as a grim neccessity and nothing more. No, his childe would not- and given the person she was, probably could not- do this for fun and giggles. What had brought on this on, then?

The young draculina's mind was a maelstorm of fury, brought on by something her prey had done; raped a girl, he realized. For a long moment, Alucard considered stopping her. Integra would agonize about harming a human when she had calmed down. Yes and no, he decided.

_A bit more pressure and you will maim him for life, _the No-Life King told her. _Are you sure you want that? _he asked. He had long since ceased to be bothered by what humans thought, in their inner sanctrum where they thought nobody could overhear. He knew better than to let a rapist live, but Integra would have to find her standards and codes by herself. "With that telepathy of yours, you will drive youself into a gibbering mess soon if you care about every unpleasant thing the cattle around you think. As I said before... The choice is yours." The freedom of speaking to the former knight when and as he wished was the one thing he enjoyed about his new situation. The lack of compassion, the ability to care about the world around them, was what destroyed the strongest of vampires. They were immortal, and the world was not. Everything- humans, empires, even the lesser vampires- perished and changed around them, but they did not. They closed themselves off eventually to avoid pain, until they had no more reason to live. Going mad like Incognito did, secluding themselves like Helena, or constantly seeking death... Like he did before Integra.

Integra abruptly released the human to crumple to the ground, though the young draculina's eyes betrayed the fury still very much alive in her. Then in a swift, smooth movement, she twisted the human's neck.

Integra had never really liked the dark as a child. When it was dark, you couldn't tell what was going on. When her childhood ended along with her uncle's life, she realized that it was human instinct to fear the dark, a part of them that remembered being hunted, inherited from long-forgotten ancesters. Now, it was vaguely comforting, like a soft, thick quilt covering her. Integra had made Walter procure a coffin much like Seras's instead of curtains of the blackout kind. Although her powers were blooming much faster than the other draculina, she was much less tolerant of sunlight.

But sunlight was not the reason she lay there now. The feel of the human's neck breaking, of bones giving way and life extinguishing, haunted her. That the bastard would never harm another girl again was the only good part in this mess, in her opinion. Integra groaned. That had been murder, simple and clear. True, he had scarred the young girl, scarred her to a point that she may never trust a man again. He had threatened the girl enough that his deed would never be discovered. But she had killed him. Killed a living human being, a person who could not defend himself against her than a lamb against a wolf. She had sworn she would never sink to the level of beasts Helsing existed to exterminate, beasts who killed and tortured defenceless people on whims or just for pleasure. While she had not done it for herself, she had done it in part to punish him. Was that justice, the man dying for what he had done, a crime he would have been judged for when he stood before God?

What right did _she_ have to punish him?

Integra threw off her covers and climbed out of the coffin.

"Move over." a voice sounded in his ear, jerking Alucard awake. Integra leaned over him, red eyes sleepy and tired. For a moment, he was strongly reminded of the way she had looked after an especially tiring day with the pampered poodles in the Round Table, discussing budget cuts, just because they didn't want anyone but themselves getting the benefit of their money. He automatically shifted to the side of the coffin, watching her warily as she climbed inside beside him. "Integra?" he asked cautiously, "Give me some indication that you are not sleepwalking. Or losing your mind." "I couldn't sleep," Integra's voice was muffled by the fabric of his shirt. She seemed unaware that practically every part of their bodies were pressed together from the small space of the coffin. It certainly had not been designed with two occupants in mind. "So you decided that a sleepover in my coffin would help?"

"I can't get him out of my mind." Alucard frowned. Regret wasn't a trait Integra usually tolerated, in others or in herself. In her mind, if you screwed up, you tried your dammnest to put it right. If you couldn't, man up and face the punishment. "I don't know if I'm just squeamish about killing someone, or if it's because he couldn't defend himself. He deserved it, but is it right for me to just decide whether he should live or die?"

Alucard wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head underneath his chin. He had no words to ease her this time, because he had always found blood exhilarating. Even when he was human, he had killed without regret if the person in question had pissed him off enough. But Integra was different from him, with her faith in God and human justice. Whether she killed someone, be it through others or her own hands, circumstances or emotions mattered little. It was either neccessary or not.

Her vampire said nothing, but his steady presence alone soothed Integra, as well as the dark-bright thrumming of his mind around her. _It may not have been justice, and it was definitely wrong. I was stronger than him; there was no honour in what I did. I will never allow my emotions to overrule me again._

Stretching up, Integra placed a soft kiss on the side of his jaw. _Thank you,_ she sent. _What for? _Alucard asked, bemused and strangely warmed at the same time. _For... Being who you are, I suppose._ There was a beat of silence.

_Well, then, thank you too. _

_Do you mind if I stay here? Walter and the Police Girl will freak, you know._

_All the more reason too. _

_...You're insufferable._

As Integra predicted, Seras did freak. If falling down onto the floor was any indication, that is. The draculina slowly got up and looked again purely to check that her eyes were not deceiving her. Sir Integra and Master looked so.. content there, resting in each other's arms, that she just managed to supress a squeal. Even after her change and her fair share of gore, Seras was still a romantic in heart. Now, if only she could tease them about this later... No, she would wait till their relationship has grown stable enough. When it did, however...

Another AN; That's the closest thing I can imagine of a fluff moment between those two. Did you like it?


	4. Chapter 4

AN; Thanks for the reviews! Sorry the update was late, but an extra long chapter to make up! Reviews make me so happy... Hope you like the new Helsing leader.

Disclaimer; I do not own Hellsing or its characters. If I did, AxI would be cannon and Maxwell would be dead.

Alucard waited for Integra to recover before striking again, surveying his childe through his red glasses. She had insisted that he teach her how to fight vampires a few days ago, after getting used to her new body enough to feel comfortable in her skin, easily regaining her former grace. Walter had trained her quite ruthlessly in defending herself and others as well as killing them, but they were human methods. How can you strangle someone into submission when the said someone didn't breathe? Also, she had now a brand new set of senses and reflexes to put to use. Having an apprentice to teach was juat as enjoyable, if frustrating at times, as he remembered. That was of his earlier days, before he learned the hard way not even other vampires were immortal, that nearly everything in the world would someday perish and fade around him.

Integra rubbed her arm where she had collided with the wall. Alucard was a good, although often infuriating, teacher. That was not to say his methods did not hurt. She knew that it would most likely take centuries before she could have any chance against him, but meanwhile she had to get her edge in battle back. Integra lifted herself up, and dove away smoothly as Alucard darted forward, ducking to his back to use his momentum against him. She smiled almost unconciously as he laughed out loud, not the mocking, slightly bitter laughter of her human days but a rumbling, genuine sound of happiness. She spun around, launching herself at his back to knock him down.

Sir Thomas Islands did not get nervous. He was the son of one of the most influential members of the Round Table, a knight in his own right and a Lieutenant in Her Majesty's army. _Former _Lieutenant, that was. The said Queen had hauled him to the palace without warning, saying that she had 'a new post of utmost importance that is best not discussed over letters' for him. His father had sounded esctatic on the phone call when he had informed him on this, never mind that he had practically disowned him when he decided to join the army. Now he was in a windowless room that resembled a bomb shelter, albeit one comfortably furnished and afternoon tea served to boot, and he was definitely Not Nervous. His heart rate was just 45 over his usual... And that was good, right?

A door slide almost soundlessly on his left and Thomas jumped his feet when he saw the Queen, dressed impeccably in a rose-coloured suit jacket and skirt. His heart rate increased sharply for a couple of seconds, and calmed somewhat at the kind smile Her Majesty directed at him. "Do sit down, Thomas. And no need to look so worried. I have good news for you... At least, if you are indeed the capable, promising young man your files make you out to be." Damn, did that woman have a way with words. Now he had no real way to protest without compromising the position he had rose to, contary to most people's beliefs, without any bribery or 'help' from his father's part.

"So, what _is_ my new post, Your Majesty?" That earned him a downright laugh from the Queen. He wasn't entirely sure it was a laugh of genuine amusement or contempt, but kept his face straight. "Direct, aren't you? Good, it will help in dealing with your colleagues, as well as your...staff. God knows they will make your life unpleasant if they thought you weren't worth your salt, so to speak. They could prove quite a handful." The mixture of confusion and nerves were not doing anything good for Thomas. It must have shown in his eyes, if not in his demeanor, because the Queen became more serious. "Your new post, Sir Islands, is one that may or may not put you in odds with your father, and also requires significant commitment and resilience. You have been chosen to become the new leader of the Helsing Organization."

Thomas gaped at her, his composure forgotten in the sheer shock of the moment. He knew virtually nothing about the Helsing Organization, aside from what everyone else knew; that it was its purpose to control and exterminate the undead in England. Besides, wasn't the Order led by the Helsing family? It was their unquestioned dormain, ever since Abraham Van Helsing. Not that there hadn't been power struggles between them and the Round Table, but the Helsing family was infamous for their stubborn streak and resourcefulness. Also, the current director, Integral Helsing, had more than earned her nickname of Iron Maiden. He had never seen her before, not being in touch with his father, but the very fact that she kept her position despite the Round Table was proof enough. What had happened for her to give up her post? "Sir Integral has been deemed unqualified to lead Helsing by the Round Table," the Queen sounded vaguely pained. "They also requested her excution due to the recent...fiasco." Thomas nodded, the roiling thoughts in his mind settling into something resembling order. He had seen it on the news, although he knew better than to believe the media's claims of 'freak northern lights in London'.

"So this fiasco was of supernatural origin?" "Indeed. When you get to the headquarters you will have access to the full account of the incident." the deceptively frail and lighthearted woman before him delicately sipped at her tea. "Sir Integral is nothing if not through, so you won't have any problems settling in. Do you have any objections or questions?" _None I'm allowed to voice, I should think, _Thomas thought warily. What could he say, really? The Helsing Organization was integral-no pun intended- to England's safety, and he had no illusions that his childhood 'friends'- other children of the Round Table members- would ever do a remotely decent job.

"No, your Majesty. I thank you for the honour."

Integra watched carefully from her place in the shadows, examining every detail without getting lost in one. She could not manage outright invisibility like Alucard yet, but she could make herself very hard to see. It was mostly about using telepathy to direct attention away from herself, making an observer dismiss her as unimportant. She had not told her sire of her latest discovery yet; she wanted to surprise him just when he was getting frustrated with her lack of progress.

But right now, her attention was focused on the surprisingly young man that was to be her replacement.

He seemed intelligent enough, judging from both his words to the Queen and the bright-quick-spinning feel of his mind. She smiled when she caught the Queen's deliberate use of present tense when she referred to 'Sir Integral'. Never let it be said that Elizabeth was näive; she knew Integra would be eavedropping. Although, was it eavedropping when one was expected? She returned her attention to the man- Thomas, she remembered. He in his early twenties, lanky in his army uniform, with hazel eyes slightly darker than his father's and a mop of sandy hair, most likely the same shade as Sir Island's in his youth. She liked him, Integra decided. He had a cocky feel to him, not the stuck-up, snobbish arrogance of most nobles but the reckless confidence of the young. He didn't seem adverse to learning from his 'late' preceeder's reports, and was not simpering and eager to please like most fortunate enough to secure a private meeting with the Queen. She would do her best by him... If he could earn Alucard's respect and hers.

Thomas watched in awe as the Helsing manor came into view. Even damaged as badly as it was, the building still had an aura of fortess. He analyzed the damage to the outer wall and the gate. Repairable, though it would be tricky to explain to the workers why the wrought-iron gate was practically crushed. An elderly butler stood at the front door.

"Sir Thomas," he caught a hint of disapproval in the butler's tone, "welcome to Helsing. I am Walter Domez, butler to Sir Integra and her father before her. I have aided them both in the running of the Organization, and will do my utmost best to do the same for you." Well, at least that part sounded sincere. The Angel of Death was not someone he wanted as an enemy, at least according to the files he had hastily poured over in the car. "The troops are ready for you to meet and evaluate, so if you would follow me?" "Of course. I appreciate that you chose to remain with the Helsing Organization, Mr. Walter." _Although it wasn't for me, _Thomas thought. The butler had been serving the Helsing family for most of his life; he had no reason to welcome an indirect member of the Round Table waltzing into his former employer's position. He took a deep breath and followed Walter to where a group of unruly men stood, talking and laughing among themselves.

Pip looked up to see a man in his early twenties marching into the courtyard. The mercenary's keen eyes appraised the newcomer. He didn't look like a complete wuss, although he lacked the mess-with-me-and-I'll-feed-you-your-liver look Sir Integra had had. Come to think of it, he didn't think that look could be copied. The woman was _scary, _and he had seen plenty of gore in his time. The man looked more approachable, like the type that would talk things through with a smart quip and a flair instead of a freezing tone that made complaints and objections dry up in your mouth.

"Good evening, gentlemen." the newbie spoke. "I am Sir Thomas Islands, the new commander of the Helsing Organization. First, allow me to inform you that I will not be changing much of Lady Helsing's command structure. I will, however...' Pip snorted in laughter. Lady Helsing, his itchy foot. He would bet his family jewels that the knight was turning over in her grave for being addressed like a prim and proper English damsel. If she was dead, that was. So they had a gentleman here, did they? He should see if Seras would help in beating it out of him. Courtesy was all well and good, but too much of the stuff in the wrong place would get him and his men killed faster than you could say 'Bitchy bloodsuckers bite hard'. He was glad that the little vampire stayed with her master, though. There were situations that his men just couldn't handle, much as it hurt his ego to admit it.

Alucard smirked gleefully in Integra's office, the said draculina nudging his shoulder. _Please don't scare the living daylights out of him,_ his childe said, halfway between disapproval and amusement. _We need him in one piece and functional. Not to mention trusting us to do our job._

_Oh, but a little scare would do him good, Master. Teach the boy what he will be dealing with on a daily basis._

_That's not an excuse for terrorizing or mentally torturing him. He'll be useless skittish and terrified of us. At the very least, he'll become spiteful and waste his time looking for payback methods instead of focusing on Helsing._

_... You ruin my fun. Fine, if you want to play logic, he needs a healthy respect of us and the undead in general. Even those trash vampires and their dogs._

That got a smile from Integra. _Well... Just promise me you won't break him. That would be immoral. Not to mention more annoying paperwork._

_I thought you liked paperwork. Most wom__e__n plead headaches when men lavish unwanted attention on them. _You _have paperwork to do._

_Shut up, you._

Thomas stepped into his new office, scanning the layout of the furniture and such. The room was almost entirely bare of personal touches, nothing that gave clue to Integra's personality other than the portrait of the late Arthur Helsing on the south wall. He sat down and started digging around the mahogany desk, quickly finding the massive folders containing reports of the current year's cases. Thomas gave a despairing look at the sheer bulk of the stack of papers, and then started leafing through them. He needed a cup of coffee, preferably espresso. What to read first? This would be much tougher than his old job. No wonder Sir Integra was known for her undiplomatic behaviour; all these paperwork would drive anyone crazy.

"A word of advice, Sir Thomas. Don't try to decide which report to read; it takes just as much effort as reading through all of them." Thomas jumped at the sound of the coolly amused voice. "Who's there?" he demanded.

_Well, that wasn't so polite, was it?_

Thomas jumped again. The same voice had not been a sound at all, but in his head! He casted his eyes over the room again. Had the stress of his change of position caused this? Not likely, he had only been aware of it for a few days after all. An elaborate hoax, then? But there was no way he was aware of that could produce halluciations without any preparation whatsoever. He rose from the chair and stalked towards the left corner, where the voice had first sounded.

"Foolish little cub, didn't your father tell you about the things in the dark?" the second voice was distinctly male, deep and maneacing with just a tinge of an accent he couldn't place. "Those with such arrogance will suffer fate's games..."

Thomas grabbed the curtains of a nearby window and jerked them open. Sunlight flooded in, illuminating the room and revealing nobody except himself. Low, husky but unmistakably female laughter sounded. "Points for not panicking, though."

He gritted his teeth and turned again- only to find himself restrained by a pair of cold arms. Whoever it was knew what they were doing. The steel-strong arms held him in a vicelike grip, a jujitsu move he recognized as a 'proper hold'. Struggling was not worth it, as it would only result in some serious pain, or possibly a fractured joint. Even as Thomas resisted the urge to attempt throwing off his attacker, he could feel a chill traveling down his spine. The strength in those arms was great; too great to be natural...or human. Vampire, he thought, throat tightening in fear as well as anger. How on earth had it gotten in?

_Will __you __co-operate if I let you go?_ The female whispered in that strange mind-speech. Thomas cursed with considerable fluency and creativity inwardly and nodded. True to her -its - word, his attacker released him. He stumbled forward, slowly turning around to face her.

The vampiress was almost tall as he was, with regal, almost artistically defined features and silver-gold hair that hung past her shoulders. She could have been quite lovely in other circumstances, but the harsh, fierce intensity in her crimson gaze and her cold expression bellied that effect. As much as it irked him, it was the first time he had seen a vampire face-to-face, and it was quite unnerving. Vampires had many varying talents, but as far as he knew, imitating others was not one of them. Where was the male he had heard, then?

"Oh, now you think about that?" the male voice sounded in his ear again.

He was really getting tired of disembodied vampiric voices.

"Alucard, that will be quite enough. I hope you won't hold this against us for long," the blond vampiress addressed Thomas. "We wanted to see if you were capable of keeping a clear head when in danger. Most nobles sit tight behind their desks and let the soldiers take the risks and injuries for them." He was tempted to agree, but it wouldn't do to get chummy with a vampire who had, after all, basically assaulted him after breaking and entering on unknown reasons. Thomas took a deep breath and walked to the desk, sitting down on the red plush chair behind it.

A dark form materialized on his left. The male vampire that had been doing most of the 'talking' was a good seven feet, wearing a Victorian-looking shirt and a long red coat with a matching wide-brimmed hat. The rather eccentic assemble was completed by a maniacal grin on his face. Like his companion, any physical beauty he had was overshadowed by his aura. "If we are quite finished with the assessing my emotional control, would you mind telling me why you are here?" The female settled on the chair opposite him, drawing her feet up to curl on the thick cushion like a cat. The male raised a brow at her - apparrently this was not her normal behaviour. She looked blandly back at him, and Thomas had the feeling that they were communicating using the strange telepathy. The female turned her gaze back to Thomas. "To answer your question, yes, we are finished...for now. As for the other one... Let's start with introductions, shall we? I am Integra Wingates Helsing, and he's Alucard, Helsing's most prized vampire hunter."

Thomas stared at them, facts and the Queen's annoyingly vague hints clicking together. Then he closed his eyes, slumping back in his chair. He would definitely need something stronger than coffee for this...


End file.
